Following a successful music career, Award-winning American musician Pitbull has ventured into sports as he has reached an agreement to purchase rights to Florida International University’s Football Stadium.
ESPN has reported that the Miami rapper has entered into a five-year deal in which in “The Lives Of Our Time”, an artist will pay 6 million dollars to the Florida University for the international stadium to be renamed “Pitbull Stadium.”
“International recording artist Pitbull is purchasing the naming rights to FIU’s football stadium,” ESPN’s reporter Pete Thamel noted on X. “He’s expected to pay the school $1.2 million per year for the next five years to change the name of FIU Stadium to Pitbull Stadium, per FIU board documents.”
The rapper shared the news in a video shared on Instagram, where he was seen dancing on a giant screen above the football field as his “Triumph” song plays in the background. A sign above reads “Pitbull Stadium”.
The new agreement is unprecedented as the American icon is the first ever musician to have a stadium renamed after him in the history of college athletics. Pitbull Stadium will take effect this upcoming football season with Florida International University set to host Central Michigan on their home opener on the 7th of September 2024 once approved.
“What we’re doing here is groundbreaking. We’re making history. This is history in the making,” Pitbull told ESPN. “You’re going to see that every other university is going to want to do the same thing. But the difference is, that we don’t do this for propaganda, we do it from the heart. We do it because it’s meaningful. We do it because I’m from the crib. I’m 305. I’m from the bottom. This is my backyard.”
There is an option for the Grammy winner to renew the rights for another five years if he chooses to do so according to an ESPN report. Pitbull will be crafting an anthem for the school, posting about FIU 12 times per year on social media and making an annual appearance at a university fundraising event as included in other parts of the agreement.
The 43-year-old rapper will have access to the 20,000-person capacity stadium for 10 days a year, and his vodka company will be the “preferred” distributor for liquor served in the venue as reported by ESPN. A pair of luxury box suites will be given to every home game by the rapper. Pitbull will look to bring his mojo for success to the school as it’s been tough sledging for FIU on the gridiron. The team hasn’t had a winning season since 2018 and is coming off a pair of rough 4-8 campaigns under head coach Mike MacIntyre.
